Automated system for moving a robotic arm along a rotary milking platform

ABSTRACT

A system for operating a robotic arm comprises a carriage and a robotic arm. The carriage is mounted on a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform having a substantially circular perimeter and a stall for a dairy livestock. The carriage moves along a substantially straight portion of the track tangent to and outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform at a rate based at least in part upon a speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The carriage moves in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform and such movement of the carriage is independent of any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm extends between the legs of the dairy livestock.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/329,548 filedJul. 11, 2014 entitled “Automated System for Moving a Robotic Arm Alonga Rotary Milking Platform,” which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.13/454,975 filed on Apr. 24, 2012 which is now U.S. Pat. No. 8,807,086issued Aug. 19, 2014, which is a divisional application claiming thebenefit under 35 U.S.C. §121 of the priority of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/095,963, entitled “Automated System for ApplyingDisinfectant to the Teats of Dairy Livestock,” filed Apr. 28, 2011,which is now U.S. Pat. No. 8,707,905 issued Apr. 29, 2014, which claimsthe benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the priority from U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/378,871, filed Aug. 31, 2010, entitled“Automated System for Applying Disinfectant to the Teats of DairyLivestock,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to dairy farming and more particularlyto a automated system for moving a robotic arm along a rotary milkingplatform.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over time, the size and complexity of dairy milking operations hasincreased. Accordingly, the need for efficient and scalable systems andmethods that support dairy milking operations has also increased.Systems and methods supporting dairy milking operations, however, haveproven inadequate in various respects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, disadvantages andproblems associated with previous systems supporting dairy milkingoperations may be reduced or eliminated.

In certain embodiments, a system for applying disinfectant to the teatsof a dairy livestock includes a carriage mounted on a track, thecarriage operable to translate laterally along the track. The systemfurther includes a robotic arm including a first member pivotallyattached to the carriage such that the first member may rotate about apoint of attachment to the carriage, a second member pivotally attachedto the first member such that the second member may rotate about a pointof attachment to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotallyattached to the second member such that the spray tool member may rotateabout a point of attachment to the second member. The system furtherincludes a controller operable to cause at least a portion of therobotic arm to extend between the hind legs of a dairy livestock suchthat a spray tool of the spray tool member is located at a sprayposition from which the spray tool may discharge an amount ofdisinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

Particular embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or moretechnical advantages. For example, certain embodiments of the presentdisclosure may provide an automated system for applying disinfectant tothe teats of dairy livestock. Additionally, certain embodiments of thepresent disclosure may minimize overspray, thereby reducing the volumeof the disinfectant needed. By reducing the need for human labor andreducing the volume of disinfectant used, certain embodiments of thepresent disclosure may reduce the cost associated with applyingdisinfectant to the teats of dairy livestock in certain dairy milkingoperations. Furthermore, the use of the automated system of the presentdisclosure in conjunction with a rotary milking platform may increasethe throughput of the milking platform, thereby increasing the overallmilk production of the milking platform.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, ornone of the above advantages. One or more other technical advantages maybe readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the figures,descriptions, and claims included herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To provide a more complete understanding of the present invention andthe features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate perspective views of an example automated systemfor applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, accordingto certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates the automated system for applying disinfectant to theteats of a dairy livestock depicted in FIG. 1 positioned adjacent to arotary milking platform, according to certain embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example snapshot of an image signal identifyinglocated edges is depth corresponding to the edges of the hind legs of adairy cow, according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example spray position determined based on atangent to the rear of the located udder a tangent to the bottom of thelocated udder, according to certain embodiments of the presentdisclosure; and

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate an example method for applying disinfectant tothe teats of a dairy livestock, according to certain embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate perspective views of an example automated system100 for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock,according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. System 100includes a track 102 and a carriage 104, carriage 104 being mounted ontrack 102 such that carriage 104 is able to translate laterally alongtrack 102. System 100 further includes a robotic arm 106 coupled tocarriage 104. Robotic arm 106 includes a first member 108 pivotallyattached to carriage 104, a second member 110 pivotally attached tofirst member 108, and a spray tool member 112 pivotally attached tosecond member 110. System 100 further includes a controller 114 operableto control the movement of carriage 104 and robotic arm 106 such that atleast a portion of robotic arm 106 may extend between the hind legs of adairy livestock in order to apply disinfectant to the teats of the dairylivestock.

Although a particular implementation of system 100 is illustrated andprimarily described, the present disclosure contemplates any suitableimplementation of system 100, according to particular needs.Additionally, although the present disclosure contemplates system 100facilitating the application of any suitable liquid to the teats of anysuitable dairy livestock (e.g., cows, goats, sheep, water buffalo,etc.), the remainder of this description is detailed with respect to theapplication of disinfectant to the teats of dairy cows.

Track 102 may include any suitable combination of structure andmaterials facilitating the attachment of carriage 104 thereto such thatcarriage 104 may translate laterally along track 102. Carriage 104 mayinclude any suitable combination of structure and materials forming abase for robotic arm 106 that may translate laterally along track 102.For example, track 102 may include one or more tubular track members 116each corresponding to one or more rollers 118 of carriage 104. Rollers118 of carriage 104 may roll along track members 116, permittingcarriage 104 to translate laterally along track 102.

In certain embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 2, system 100 may bepositioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform 202 such that carriage104 may move along track 102 tangent to a rotary milking platform 202.Movement of carriage 104 tangent to rotary milking platform 202 maypermit robotic arm 106 to track the movement of a dairy cow 204 locatedin a milking stall 206 of the rotary milking platform 202. Accordingly,at least a portion of robotic arm 106 may remain extended between thehind legs of the dairy cow 204 (as discussed detail below) as the dairycow 204 rotates through the area 208 of the rotary milking platform 202located adjacent to system 100. Although system 100 is primarilydescribed as being used in conjunction with milking stalls 206 of arotary milking platform 202 throughout the remainder of thisdescription, the present disclosure contemplates system 100 being usedin conjunction with any suitable type of milking stall, according toparticular needs.

Returning to FIGS. 1A-1B, robotic arm 106 may include a first member 108pivotally attached to carriage 104 such that first member 108 may rotateabout a point of attachment to carriage 104. Robotic arm 106 mayadditionally include a second member 110 pivotally attached to firstmember 108 such that second member 110 may rotate about a point ofattachment to first member 108. Robotic arm 106 may additionally includea spray tool member 112 pivotally attached to second member 110 suchthat spray tool member 112 may rotate about a point of attachment tosecond member 110. Although members 108-112 of robotic arm 106 aredepicted as having a particular structure, the present disclosurecontemplates members 108-112 each having any suitable structure,according to particular needs.

In certain embodiments, robotic arm 106 may additionally include a spraytool 120 attached to spray tool member 112. Spray tool 120 may beoperable to discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of a dairycow. For example (as depicted in FIG. 1B), spray tool 120 may include alinear member 122 having a spray nozzle 124 located at either end.Linear member 122 may be operable to rotate about the point attachmentto spray tool member 112 such that spray nozzles 124 may discharge thedisinfectant in a substantially circular pattern. As a result, the widthof spray tool member 112 (including spray tool 120) may be minimized asspray tool member 112 passes between the hind legs of a dairy cow (asdescribed below) while having a spray coverage area wide enough to covereach of the teats of a dairy cow once the spray tool member 112 ispositioned beneath the dairy cow.

In certain embodiments, system 100 may include a first actuator 126, asecond actuator 128, a third actuator 130, and a fourth actuator 132.Actuators 126-132 may each be operable to extend and retract to causemovement of carriage 102 and/or robotic arm 106 (as described in detailbelow). For example, the extension/retraction of actuators 126-132 maybe governed by an actuator drive mechanism 134. Actuator drive mechanism134 may include a hydraulic pump, a pneumatic pump, or any othersuitable drive mechanism operable to cause extension/retraction ofactuators 126-132.

First actuator 126 may be attached to track 102 and carriage 104 suchthat extension/retraction of first actuator 126 causes movement ofcarriage 104 along track 102. Second actuator 128 may be attached tocarriage 104 and first member 108 such that extension/retraction ofsecond actuator 128 causes rotation of first member 108 about the pointof attachment to carriage 104. Third actuator 130 may be attached tofirst member 108 and second member 110 such that extension/retraction ofthird actuator 130 causes rotation of second member 110 about the pointof attachment to first member 108. Fourth actuator 132 may be attachedto second member 110 and spray tool member 112 such thatextension/retraction of fourth actuator 132 causes rotation of spraytool member 112 about the point of attachment to second member 110.

In certain embodiments, spray tool member 112 may include a visionsystem 136 housing a camera 138. Camera 138 may include any suitablecamera operable to generate one or more image signals (e.g., imagesignal 146, described below) corresponding to the rear and/or undersideof a dairy cow (e.g., a dairy cow located in a milking stall of anadjacent rotary milking platform). For example, camera 138 may be athree-dimensional camera operable to generate a three-dimensional videoimage signal corresponding to the rear of a dairy cow and, as roboticarm 106 moves between the hind legs of the dairy cow, athree-dimensional video image signal corresponding the underside of thedairy cow. Based on the image signal(s) generated by camera 138,controller 114 may determine a spray position at which spray tool 120may be positioned in order to apply disinfectant to the teats of thedairy cow (as described in detail below).

Although camera 138 is described as being a three-dimensional camerathroughout the remainder of this description, the present disclosurecontemplates camera 138 as being any suitable camera (e.g., atwo-dimensional camera), according to particular needs. Additionally,although the vision system 136 housing camera 138 is depicted andprimarily described as being positioned on spray tool member 112, thepresent disclosure contemplates vision system 136 being positioned atany suitable location.

In certain embodiments, various components of system 100 (e.g., spraytool 120, actuators 126-132, and camera 138) may be communicativelycoupled to controller 114 (e.g., via a network facilitating wireless orwireline communication). Controller 114 may control the position ofrobotic arm 106 (e.g., by controlling the extension/retraction ofactuator 126-132) such that at least a portion of robotic arm 106extends between the hind legs of a dairy cow in order to discharge anamount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy cow.

Controller 114 may include one or more computer systems at one or morelocations. Each computer system may include any appropriate inputdevices (such as a keypad, touch screen, mouse, or other device that canaccept information), output devices, mass storage media, or othersuitable components for receiving, processing, storing, andcommunicating data. Both the input devices and output devices mayinclude fixed or removable storage media such as a magnetic computerdisk, CD-ROM, or other suitable media to both receive input from andprovide output to a user. Each computer system may include a personalcomputer, workstation, network computer, kiosk, wireless data port,personal data assistant (PDA), one or more processors within these orother devices, or any other suitable processing device. In short,controller 114 may include any suitable combination of software,firmware, and hardware.

Controller 114 may additionally include one or more processing modules140. The processing modules 140 may each include one or moremicroprocessors, controllers, or any other suitable computing devices orresources and may work, either alone or with other components of system100, to provide a portion or all of the functionality of system 100described herein. Controller 114 may additionally include (or becommunicatively coupled to via wireless or wireline communication) oneor more memory modules 142. The memory modules 142 may each include anymemory or database module and may take the form of volatile ornon-volatile memory, including, without limitation, magnetic media,optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM),removable media, or any other suitable local or remote memory component.

Controller 114 may additional include control logic 144. Control logic144 may include any information, logic, and/or instructions storedand/or executed by controller 114 to (1) determine, based on an imagesignal generated by camera 138 (e.g., image signal 146, describedbelow), a spray position from which spray tool member 120 may applydisinfectant to the teats of a dairy cow, and (2) control the movementof carriage 106 and/or robotic arm 106 such that spray tool member 120may be positioned at or near the determined spray position.

In operation of an example embodiment of system 100 (an embodiment inwhich system 100 is positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platformhaving a milking stall in which a dairy cow is located), controller 114may be operable to receive a trigger (e.g., from a proximity switch orany other suitable sensor associated with the rotary milking platform)indicating that a stall in which the dairy cow is located has entered anarea adjacent to system 100 (e.g., area 208, described above). Forexample, system 100 may be located relative to a rotary milking platform(e.g., rotary milking platform 202), and disinfectant may be applied tothe teats of the dairy cow after the dairy cow has been milked (i.e.,after the milking cluster has been removed).

Because disinfectant may not need to be applied to the teats of thedairy cow if a milking cluster is attached, controller 114 may determinewhether a milking cluster is attached. If controller 114 determines thata milking cluster is attached, no further action may be performed untila next dairy cow enters the area adjacent to system 100. If controller114 determines that a milking cluster is not attached, controller 114may initiate the disinfectant application process by communicating asignal to first actuator 126, the signal causing first actuator toextend such that carriage 102 translates laterally along track 104 in adirection corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rotarymilking platform. In certain embodiments, controller 114 may also accessa rotary encoder signal 144 generated by a rotary encoder of the rotarymilking platform, the accessed rotary encoder signal 144 indicating thespeed of rotation of rotary milking platform. Based on the rotaryencoder signal 144, controller 114 may communicate a signal to firstactuator 126 that causes first actuator 126 to extend at a rate thatcauses carriage 102 to translate laterally along track 104 at a ratecorresponding to the rate of rotation of the rotary milking platform(such that robotic arm 106 may keep pace with the dairy cow located inthe milking stall of the rotary milking platform).

Controller 114 may be further operable to access an image signal 146generated by camera 138. As discussed above, image signal 146 may be athree-dimensional video image signal corresponding (at least initially)to the rear of the dairy cow. Based on the accessed image signal 146,controller 114 may determine positions of each of the hind legs of thedairy cow. For example, controller 114 may process image signal 146 tolocate edges in depth, which may correspond to portions of the imagesignal where the distance from an object transitions from beingrelatively close to camera 138 (i.e., the hind legs of the dairy cow) torelatively far away from camera 138 (i.e., the area on wither side ofthe hind legs of the dairy cow). Because the hind legs of the dairy cowmay be relatively close to camera 138 as compared to the space locatedbetween/on either side of the hind legs, the located edges in depth maycorrespond to the location of the inside and outside edges of the hindlegs of the dairy cow. FIG. 3 illustrates an example snapshot 300 of aimage signal 146 identifying located edges is depth 302 corresponding tothe edges of the hind legs of a dairy cow.

Returning to FIG. 1, controller 114, having determined the positions ofeach of the hind legs of the dairy cow, may communicate signals to oneor more of actuators 126-132, the communicated signals causingextension/retraction of actuators 126-132 such that at least a portionof robotic arm 106 (e.g., spray tool member 112) extends toward thespace between the hind legs of the dairy cow (e.g., at a predeterminedheight relative to the milking stall in which the dairy cow is located).Because image signal 146 may comprise a three-dimensional video image(as described above), the image signal 146 may change in real time ascamera 138 moves toward the dairy cow. Accordingly, the presentdisclosure contemplates that controller 114 may update, eithercontinuously or at predetermined intervals, the determined leg positionsas image signal 146 changes.

Controller 114 may be further operable to determine a position of theudder of the dairy cow. In certain embodiments, controller 114 maydetermine the position of the udder of the dairy cow based on theaccessed image 146 signal and/or the determined positions of the hindlegs of the dairy cow. For example, controller 114 may process imagesignal 146 (which may change as the camera 138 moves toward the dairycow, as described above) in order to trace the located edges in depthcorresponding to the inside of the hind legs of the dairy cow (asdescribed above) upwardly until they intersect with the udder of thedairy cow. In certain embodiments, controller 114 may process imagesignal 146 to determine where the edges in depth transition from beingsubstantially vertical, indicating the inside of the hind legs, tosubstantially horizontal, indicating the udder (as illustrated in FIG. 3by the edges in depth 302 corresponding to the inner side of the hindlegs of the dairy cow).

Controller 114 may be further operable to determine a spray positionfrom which spray tool 120 may apply disinfectant to the teats of thedairy cow. In certain embodiments, controller 114 may determine thespray position based on image signal 146 and/or the determined positionof the udder of the dairy cow. For example, controller 114 may processimage signal 146 (which may change as the camera 138 moves toward thedairy cow, as described above) in order to determine the shape of theudder of the dairy cow. Based on the determined shape, controller 114may determine (1) a tangent to the rear of the located udder, and (2) atangent to the bottom of the located udder. The spray position may thenbe determined relative to the intersection of the two tangents (e.g., apredetermined distance below the intersection). FIG. 4 illustrates anexample spray position 402 determined by controller 114 based on atangent 404 a to the rear of the located udder a tangent 404 b to thebottom of the located udder.

Returning to FIG. 1, controller 114, having determined the sprayposition, may communicate additional signals to actuators 126-132, theseadditional signals causing extension/retraction of actuators 126-132such that spray tool 120 is positioned substantially at or near thespray position. Once positioned, controller 114 may initiate thedischarge of a disinfectant to the teats of the dairy cow. For example,in embodiments in which spray tool 120 comprises a linear member 122having a spray nozzle 124 at either end, controller 114 may communicatea signal to a valve controlling the flow of fluid to nozzles 124, thesignal causing opening of the valve. Fluid pressure may then cause thespray tool member 122 to rotate about the point of attachment to spraytool member 112, causing the discharge of disinfectant in asubstantially circular pattern. Member 122 may be sized and the spraypattern of nozzles 124 may be adjusted such that the sprayed circularpattern of disinfectant substantially covers the four teats of the dairycow. Once the disinfectant has been applied to the teats of the dairycow, controller 114 may communicate additional signals to actuators126-132, these additional signals causing extension/retraction ofactuators 126-132 such that carriage 104 and robotic arm 106 returns toa default position.

Particular embodiments of system 100 may provide one or more technicaladvantages. For example, certain embodiments of system 100 may reduce oreliminate the need for human labor to apply the disinfectant to theteats of dairy cow. Additionally, certain embodiments of system 100 mayminimize overspray, thereby minimizing the volume of the expensivedisinfectant used. Accordingly, certain embodiments of the presentdisclosure may reduce the cost associated with certain dairy milkingoperations. Furthermore, the use of system 100 in conjunction with arotary milking platform may increase the throughput of the milkingplatform, thereby increasing the overall milk production of the milkingplatform.

Although a particular implementation of system 100 is illustrated andprimarily described, the present disclosure contemplates any suitableimplementation of system 100, according to particular needs. Moreover,although the present invention has been described with severalembodiments, diverse changes, substitutions, variations, alterations,and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it isintended that the invention encompass all such changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications as fall within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate an example method 500 for applying disinfectantto the teats of a dairy livestock, according to certain embodiments ofthe present disclosure. The method begins at step 502. At step 504,controller 114 receives a trigger indicating that a stall in which adairy cow is located (e.g., a stall 206 of a rotary milking platform 202positioned adjacent to system 100, as illustrated in FIG. 2) has enteredan area adjacent to system 100 (e.g., area 208, as illustrated in FIG.2). For example, the trigger may be received from a proximity switch orany other suitable sensor associated with the rotary milking platform.

At step 506, controller 114 determines whether a milking cluster isattached. If controller 114 determines that a milking cluster isattached, the method returns to step 504. If controller 114 determinesthat a milking cluster is not attached, the method proceeds to step 508where controller 114 accesses a rotary encoder signal 144 indicated thespeed of rotation of rotary milking platform. At step 510, controller114 communicates a signal to first actuator 126, the signal causingfirst actuator to extend such that carriage 102 translates laterallyalong track 104 in a direction corresponding to the direction ofrotation of the rotary milking platform. Additionally, the signalcommunicated to first actuator 126 causes the first actuator to extendat a rate (determined based on rotary encoder signal 144) that causescarriage 102 to translate laterally along track 104 at a ratecorresponding to the rate of rotation of the rotary milking platform. Asa result, robotic arm 106 may keep pace with a dairy cow located in amilking stall of the rotary milking platform.

At step 512, controller 114 accesses an image signal 146 generated bycamera 138 (e.g., a three-dimensional video image signal corresponding,at least initially, to the rear of the dairy cow). At step 514,controller 114 determines positions of each of the hind legs of thedairy cow. For example, controller 114 may process image signal 146 tolocate edges in depth, which may correspond to portions of the imagesignal where the distance from an object transitions from beingrelatively close to camera 138 (i.e., the hind legs of the dairy cow) torelatively far away from camera 138 (i.e., the area on wither side ofthe hind legs of the dairy cow). At step 516, controller 114communicates signals to one or more of actuators 126-132, thecommunicated signals causing extension/retraction of actuators 126-132such that at least a portion of robotic arm 106 (e.g., spray tool member112) extends toward the space between the hind legs of the dairy cow(e.g., at a predetermined height relative to the milking stall in whichthe dairy cow is located).

At step 518, controller 114 determines a position of the udder of thedairy cow. In certain embodiments, controller 114 determines theposition of the udder of the dairy cow based on the accessed image 146signal and/or the determined positions of the hind legs of the dairycow. For example, controller 114 may process image signal 146 (which maychange as the camera 138 moves toward the dairy cow, as described above)in order to trace the located edges in depth corresponding to the insideof the hind legs of the dairy cow (as described above) upwardly untilthey intersect with the udder of the dairy cow.

At step 520, controller 114 determines a spray position from which spraytool 120 may apply disinfectant to the teats of the dairy cow. Forexample, controller 114 may process image signal 146 (which may changeas the camera 138 moves toward the dairy cow, as described above) inorder to determine the shape of the udder of the dairy cow. Based on thedetermined shape, controller 114 may determine (1) a tangent to the rearof the located udder, and (2) a tangent to the bottom of the locatedudder. The spray position may then be determined relative to theintersection of the two tangents (e.g., a predetermined distance belowthe intersection).

At step 522, controller 114 communicates additional signals to actuators126-132, the additional signals causing extension/retraction ofactuators 126-132 such that spray tool 120 is positioned substantiallyat or near the spray position. Once positioned, controller 114 mayinitiate the discharge of a disinfectant to the teats of the dairy cowat step 524. Once the disinfectant has been applied to the teats of thedairy cow, controller 114 may, at step 526, communicate additionalsignals to actuators 126-132, these additional signals causingextension/retraction of actuators 126-132 such that carriage 104 androbotic arm 106 returns to a default position. The method then eitherreturns to step 504 (if there are additional dairy cows to whichdisinfectant is to be applied) or ends at step 528 (if there are noadditional dairy cows to which disinfectant is to be applied).

Although the steps of method 500 have been described as being performedin a particular order, the present disclosure contemplates that thesteps of method 500 may be performed in any suitable order, according toparticular needs.

Although the present disclosure has been described with severalembodiments, diverse changes, substitutions, variations, alterations,and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it isintended that the disclosure encompass all such changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications as fall within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for operating a robotic arm, comprising:a carriage mounted on a track positioned adjacent to a rotary milkingplatform having a substantially circular perimeter and a stall for adairy livestock, the carriage operable to move along a substantiallystraight portion of the track tangent to and outside the perimeter ofthe rotary milking platform at a rate based at least in part upon aspeed of rotation of the rotary milking platform, wherein the carriagemoves in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of therotary milking platform and such movement of the carriage is independentof any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milkingplatform; and a robotic arm coupled to the carriage and operable toextend between the legs of the dairy livestock.
 2. The system of claim1, further comprising a controller operable to determine the rate forthe carriage to move along the substantially straight portion of thetrack.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the carriage moves along thetrack in response to a signal indicating the speed of rotation of therotary milking platform.
 4. The system of claim 3, further comprising arotary encoder attached to the rotary milking platform and operable togenerate the signal.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising adrive mechanism that moves the carriage along the track at the ratebased at least in part upon the speed of rotation of the rotary milkingplatform.
 6. A system for operating a robotic arm, comprising: acarriage mounted on a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform havingat least one stall for a dairy livestock, wherein the rotary milkingplatform has a substantially circular perimeter; a drive mechanismcoupled to the carriage and operable to move the carriage along thetrack tangent to and outside the perimeter of the rotary milkingplatform and independently of any drive mechanism associated with therotary milking platform; and a robotic arm coupled to the carriage andoperable to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock, wherein therobotic arm remains uncoupled from the rotary milking platform.
 7. Thesystem of claim 6, wherein the carriage is operable to move along asubstantially straight portion of the track.
 8. The system of claim 6,wherein the drive mechanism is operable to move the carriage along thetrack in response to a signal indicating a speed of rotation of therotary milking platform.
 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising arotary encoder attached to the rotary milking platform and operable togenerate the signal.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the drivemechanism moves the carriage along the track at a rate based at least inpart upon the speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform.
 11. Thesystem of claim 10, further comprising a controller operable todetermine the rate for the drive mechanism to move the carriage alongthe track.
 12. A method for operating a robotic arm, comprising: movinga carriage along a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform having asubstantially circular perimeter and a stall for a dairy livestock,wherein the carriage moves along a substantially straight portion of thetrack tangent to and outside the perimeter of the rotary milkingplatform at a rate based at least in part upon a speed of rotation ofthe rotary milking platform; and extending a robotic arm coupled to thecarriage between the legs of the dairy livestock.
 13. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising discharging a substance to at least some ofthe teats of the dairy livestock when the robotic arm is extendedbetween the legs of the dairy livestock.
 14. The method of claim 12,wherein moving the carriage comprises moving the carriage along thetrack in response to a signal indicating the speed of rotation of therotary milking platform.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprisingusing a rotary encoder to determine the speed of rotation of the rotarymilking platform.